


In the Hands of the Enemy

by JMount74



Series: Whumptober 2020 [2]
Category: Stingray (UK TV), Thunderbirds
Genre: Crossover, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-02
Updated: 2020-10-02
Packaged: 2021-03-08 03:21:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 481
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26768695
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JMount74/pseuds/JMount74
Summary: It was all falling apart. One minute Scott Tracy was on the top of his game...then:'Pick who dies'
Series: Whumptober 2020 [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1946881
Comments: 5
Kudos: 17
Collections: Whumptober 2020





	In the Hands of the Enemy

**Author's Note:**

> First attempt at Whumptober 
> 
> Prompt 2: In The Hands of The Enemy: 'Pick Who Dies'

‘Choose, Commander,’ the voice snarled. ‘Pick who lives and who dies.’

Scott’s fists clenched. If only looks did kill – his opponent would be vaporised by the heat coming from his glare.

‘Scott?’ Alan sounded hesitant, almost worried, and Scott’s glare shifted into what he hoped was a reassuring glance.

How had it gone so wrong? Scott had all his pieces in play, he had manoeuvred and manipulated for success to be ensured…then with one move on their opponents’ part it had all fallen apart. 

Now he had no choice. He had to sacrifice someone. There was only two moves available to him, and both meant losing someone. He knew what failure would mean, especially to Gordon.

‘Your time is almost up, Commander.’ God, he wished he could reach out and punch him in the throat, just to get him to shut up. Scott frowned in concentration. There must be something he could do; some move he just hadn’t seen. After all, strategy was his specialty.

‘Scott.’ This time it was the reassuring baritone of his best friend. Glancing across to Virgil, he gave a shaky smile. Virgil’s warm smile reassured him. They both knew who Scott would save. It was a given, an unwritten rule. The only rule that mattered. He couldn’t see John or Gordon, but he knew they would be there, supporting his decision.

Giving Virgil a short nod, Scott turned to him. This was all his fault. He had been underhand, sacrificing his people with an abandon that had left Scott breathless – and ultimately fooled. He hadn’t seen the endgame, and now it was going to cost them all dearly.

Squaring his shoulders, Scott cleared his throat. And stopped. Yes! There – there was a third move, one that their opponent had not seen either. Trying very hard not to look victorious, Scott chewed on his lip to stop the threatened smile from appearing.

‘Well, Commander?’ 

Scott breathed in deeply, reached across…moved his Bishop and said: ‘Checkmate!’

For a moment, Troy Tempest sat there, mouth open, before shutting it with an audible snap. He honestly thought he had beaten them. Scott should have had to sacrifice either his Queen or his Knight but...he had overlooked the Bishop in his gloating. He had never lost before.

Scott stood up and reached across the table to shake Tempest’s hand. Troy reciprocated, although there was a bitter taste in his mouth. He knew what was coming next. Indeed, Scott stood with his arms folded and an eyebrow quirked. Waiting, his brothers coming up to stand beside him.

Tempest rolled his shoulders, turned to Gordon and spat:

‘Thunderbird Four is the best. Stingray sucks.’ 

Looking at the five identical smirks playing across the faces of International Rescue, he bitterly regretted that drunken rant that had somehow found its way into IR’s hands and had led to this very public competition.

**Author's Note:**

> NOTE: the unwritten rule in chess is:
> 
> Never give up your Queen


End file.
